Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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g THE OAMELOUh ♦ Wednesday, January 22, 2003 SOUND OFF ONLINE POLL Create message boards at Did you participate in any Martin www.dailygamecock.com or Luther King Jr. Day events? send letters to the editor to www.dailygamecock.com. gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Results published on Fridays. IN OUR OPINION Take a closer look at USC Do you know anything about the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition? Probably not. But the center’s programs, which run quietly out of a little house on Pendleton Street, have been ranked as the nation’s best. Starting today, The Gamecock will publish a weekly series focusing on some of USC’s best features that go unnoticed. Several other programs have made prominent achievements — but have , , gained little recognition. use has plenty of usc.s tatemational. unique features — , , students lust need busmess progbambas b“n „ to look closer to ranked second ln the natlon by find them U.S. News and World Report. And for more than three decades, McKissick Museum has brought to USC exhibitions on such subjects as Southern Jewish life and a World War n soldier and musician. A visit to McKissick is free. Yet it was nearly shut down this past school year because of a lack of student interest and a desire to save the university’s money. And in sports, the women’s basketball team sits No. 15 in the nation, and the men’s team isn’t even ranked. But to students, the women’s games are often no more than a blip on the Carolina Center’s flashy new sign. Those who dwell on USC’s flaws, whether academic or athletic, would be surprised if they took a deeper look at what the school is doing right. Winners and Sinners SUPER BOWL XXXVIlThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders compete Sunday. At least the commercials will be fun. NAACP Spends Martin Luther King Jr. Day rallying against the Confederate flag... again. It’s a great, though lost, cause in this state. B.Y.O.B. Carolina Productions sponsors local band competition. Bands will have 15 minutes to strut their stuff or be booed off stage. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ADMISSIONS Students claim admissions program is discriminatory. MLK Jr. stirs in his grave. IGNORANT HECKLERS Derogatory chants at Saturday’s basketball game on same maturity level as “Let’s give a cheer, Carolina is queer!” SNOW For the second week in a row, meteorologists have forecast snow or a “wintery mix.” Well? We’re still waiting. GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS A Five Way Friday CD review in Friday’s issue should have included a byline crediting it to Mike Luke. “Bob the Angry Flower” creatol Stephen Notley’s name was misspelled Friday in The Mix. The Gamecock regrets the errors. If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Editor in Chief Jill Martin Managing Editor Charles Tomlinson News Editor Adam Beam Asst. News Editor Wendy Jeffcoat Viewpoints Editor Erin O'Neal The Mix Editor Corey Garriott Asst. The Mix Editor Meg Moore Sports Editor Matt Rothenberg Asst. Sports Editor Brad Senkiw Photo Editor Johnny Haynes Asst. Photo Editor Morgan Ford Head Page Designers Sarah McLaulin, Katie Smith, David Stagg Page Designers Justin Bajan, Samantha Hall, Staci Jordan, Julia Knetzer, Shawn Rourk Slot Copy Editors Crystal Boyles, Tricia Ridgway, Emma Ritch Copy Editors Alyson Goff. Mary Waters Online Editor Bessam Khadraoui Community Affairs Kiran Shah CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com News: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Viewpoints: gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com The Mix: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Public Affairs: gckpublicaffairs@hotmail.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Editor's Office: 777-3914 STUDENT MEDIA The Gamecock is the editorially independent Faculty Adviser student newspaper of Erik Collins the University of South Carolina. It is Director of Student published Monday, Media Wednesday and Friday Ellen Parsons during the fall and spring semesters and Creative Director njne times during the Susan King summer, with the exception of university Business Manager holidays and exam Carolyn Griffin periods. Opinions expressed in The Advertising Manager Gamecock are those of Sarah Scarborough the editors or author and not those of the Classified Manager University of South Sherry F. Holmes Carolina. The Board of Student Publications Creative Services and Communications Derek Goode, jS the publisher of The Earl Jones. Gamecock. The Sean O'Meara, Department of Student Anastasia Oppert Media is the newspaper's parent Advertising Staff organization. The John Blackshire, Gamecock is Adam Bourgoin, supported in part by Bianca Knowles, student-activity fees. Denise Levereaux, One free copy per Jacqueline R'ce, reader. Additional Stacey Todd copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media. TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock Advertising: 777-3888 1400 Greene St. Classified: 777-1184 Columbia. S.C. 29208 Fax:777-6482 ’-SokbeKI Tools left If/ If'OOQ fATlgNTJ? A Y^/VP / • THeyRe | Trt&ze \ T?A£5 as AtiKtf FcfZ SCM^ AyC Tu4? ^\cuAAl^ TW^y ^ X y^THAtJ Ttf^V P'e a\ foft. 7He OVZS nl V ifj you tiuo y€f\ *5 fw \ a^ CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS English bewilders Saddam DAVID STAGG GAMECOCKVIEWPOINTS@HOTMAIL.COM Language barriers slow inspections progress. EDITOR'S NOTE: The col umn you are about to read is fic tional. Do not write in asking how The Gamecock got an inter view with Saddam Hussein, be cause we didn’t. Do not write in asking how we got an interview with anyone, because the quotes are made up. The U.N. weapon inspectors’ report on the state of Iraq is due Jan. 27 and has been called an “important date” in determining whether there will be a war with the so-called rogue state. But contrary to popular belief, this comes as a surprise to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who has been having some trouble understanding U.S. President George W. Bush’s speeches and threats. “Did you know English is one of the hardest languages to speak?” Saddam announced yes terday at the weekly Conference of Men with Moustaches. “I’m having a hard time keeping up; they speak so fast over there.” Apparently, this comes as no surprise to the Western world. “Well, no kidding they don’t understand,” Bush said in a re cent speech. “Why do you think we’ve been repeating things over and over? Did you think we were kidding when we said this was a game? Think of it as a very long game of telephone.” As anyone has noticed, the lack of understanding on Iraq’s part hasn’t stopped the United States from talking. The intangi ble War on Terrorism has been rapidly escalating, and so has the war rhetoric put up by the United States. “Yo, fool, if you don’t back up, we’ll have to step,” White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. They seemed like fighting words, but once again, Saddam was having trouble understand ing exactly what the White House meant. “I have no clue what a ‘rhetoric’ is,” Saddam admitted. “Guys, I’m really sorry, I’ve been working on it, but I still have to carry around a ‘Guide to American Words Used When Threatening Countries That Possess Weapons of Mass Destruction.’ Not like I have them or anything. I just like the book. It has a prdtty cover — yes, that’s it, a pretty cover.” This past Saturday, thousands of protesters marched on the Washington streets in protest of a possible war on Iraq. Bush, finally showing a softer side, seemed to react positively to their cries. “I tell you what,” he said in a statement to the protesters. “We’ve always said the decision was up to Saddam, and it still is. So I’ve made him a secondary of fer. I challenged him to a game of Scrabble. That Hussein is clever, but he cannot master the tiles like your ol’ pal Bushy.” Saddam was once again as tounded. “Scrabble? What the crap is that? Did he say I was a tattle tale? I thought I was the one be ing inspected here. It’s like my junior high physicals all over again. All of us were just a little scared to pull down the pants to show what we had. I’m just a lit tle scared to pull down the pants on Iraq right now.” Stagg is a second-year media-arts student. IN YOUR OPINION American Dream open to everyone My wife and I had the plea sure of driving up from Charleston to attend Gov. Sanford’s inauguration. After the ceremony, we strolled through the USC campus and picked up a copy of The Gamecock. Being an ‘82 Carolina grad and former Gamecock writer, it brought back memories. A column that caught my attention was one written by Tyler Jones about the cast of thousands running for the Democratic presidential nom ination in 2004 (“Liberals want to join in the race,” Jan. 15). Although humorous and in sightful, the column was trou bling to me in that Mr. Jones opined that the American Dream is “in the morgue.” I truly hope that most USC stu dents don’t feel that way. As I see it, there has never been a better time to be an American. Opportunities abound. We have low inflation, low interest rates and leaders in Washington and Columbia who are poised to enact policies that will raise our standard of living. We are also blessed to live in a state with awesome natural beauty. Get in the car and check out Congaree National Swamp or one of our other nat ural treasures! My advice to Mr. Jones is to find a job he is passionate about and pursue it to the best of his ability. Enjoy times with your family and friends. Save your money and spend wisely. Remember that the future is built one day at a time. The American Dream is there for anyone who seeks it. JOHN STEINBERGER use. CLASS OF t98i GOP needs better minority relations In President Bush’s speech last Wednesday, he said he dis agreed with the University of Michigan's Law School admis sions process because it gave preference to minority appli cants “primarily on the basis of the color of their skin.” He said it was more important for an applicant to be accepted on merit. I want to be the first to say that I find it laughable that the same man who has glided through life on the coattails of his father's legacy is talking about merit. This is a man who was accepted to Yale, ex posed to countless business and entrepreneurial opportu nities, and got every connec tion he has because of his last name. I would be very inter ested to hear the president's argument had he been born George W. Smith or George W. Jones. Members of the Bush ad ministration started coming out against his decision almost immediately. One of the most prominent voices against Bush’s stance was Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has been known to criticize the Republican Party’s stance on affirmative action. White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales also urged the president to change his mind. Even national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, when she tried to come to the aid of her boss, eventually ad mitted that race should some times be a factor for admittance in an effort to achieve diversity. I find it interesting that the most prominent minorities in Bush’s administration, those who have actually faced the chal lenges of racial inequality, were the only ones to come out in sup port of the policy. The biggest slap in the face for minorities came from the fact that Bush declared his position on the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. This blatant disregard for minor ity concerns, done in such an in sensitive manner, is appalling in a president. One would think, following the crude and thoughtless remarks of recently “excommunicated” Senate Republican leader Trent Lott, the Republican Party would provide proof of its recent claims that it is more sensitive to mi nority concerns. But I guess when push comes to shove, actions really do speak louder than words. ZACHERY SCOTT SECOND-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT FREE SPEECH Exercise your rights. SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO OAMKOOOK VIEWPOINTS (WH0TMAIL.COM Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. E-mail letters to gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the newsroom at 777-7726 for more information. '' Voters want a regular leader [ I ANNA LAKE GAMECOCKVIEWPOINTS@HOTMAIL.COM Joe copy guy is common enough to be governor. I just made a huge decision. This is a big deal. I have decided to give someone the opportunity of a lifetime. Politics have been in our faces for the past few months, notably this past week. With Gov’nah Sanford taking over and throw ing the uncontested best theme inauguration party known to South Carolina politics, this state might never be the same. Our new first lady was high lighted on the WIS evening news in search of the perfect outfit to wear to an inauguration barbe cue. Shedding the Gucci shoes, Mrs. Sanford was seen trying on some of the latest fashions from Wal-Mart’s Kathie Lee collec tion. As the new first family desper ately tries to play the part of the common folk, those of us who • know what it is like to eat ramen noodles instead of duck l’orange for dinner gawk in disbelief. Since South Carolinians are apparently so concerned with having the highest legal office in the state filled by a normal Joe, I have been searching my mind for the perfect solution. Of course, the obvious answer would be to vote me into office, but apparently, I’m not old enough. So until my name can appear on the ballots, I have decided to influence others to change their lives in ways they never thought possible. My hand-picked candi date for governor of the great state of South Carolina — the Senate copy guy. Why the copy guy? There is no better candidate! Not only has he given the State House 30 years of dedicated service mak ing copies of important legisla tion for the Senate, he has even suffered on the front lines of the battlefield. OK, not the real battlefield, but he has gotten a lot of paper cuts and smashed his fingers in the in dustrial-sized staplers. He even has leadership experi ence; he is the head copy guy in Senate copying. The voters wouldn’t have to worry about all the annoying po litical commercials during cam paigning since, because he is a common man, he would have the resources only to fund copies of his picture that he made after ev eryone left work for the day. Budget crises would be com pletely resolved when he bans 8 x 11 inch paper across the state, rea soning that 8 x 14 inch paper could fit more information on it at a cheaper cost. His campaign promises would feature the highly anticipated re pealing of the blue laws, a sure sign that he’s the official this state needs. The copy guy already knows all the other leaders at the State House, so there are no worries about learning a new face. His in auguration ball would feature Kraft Cheese and Macaroni and free admission for all. It would at least give him an actual title in stead of “the copy guy.” And an added bonus: He’s a Democrat. Yes, the stains on his jeans are real and the cowboy hat on his head would not come off for the television cameras, but isn’t that the common-man image that South Carolina is so desperate to see? I haven’t told him yet, but I’m sure he’ll be up for it. Lake is a second-year broadcast journalism student.